Expansion joint for insulated structures



Sept. 4, 1934. F ZEINER 1,972,508

EXPANSION JOINT FOR INSULATED STRUCTURES Filed Jan. 16, 1952 MENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 4, 1934 OFFICE 9 ,592? EXPANSION JOINT FOB INSULATED.

szmUCTIIRES I corporation pf 'Qhio' Eugene F. zeiner Flushing N. 12, assignor to The Philip Carey Man ifacturing' Company, "a

'Abplicafion 4. .32 Se i l N 58. 431

.iMyinvention relates to an expansion joint particularly adapted. to insulation applied to heated structures or vessels such, for example, as oil fractionating towers. v

In order to prevent objectionable loss of heat in such vessels, it is customary to apply to Ithe 'outersurface thereof a covering of heat insulating-'material, preferably protected by a covering Leif-waterproofing material. Due to the changes a m or temperature therein, such vessels expand and contract; "and where the vessel is of considerable length, as in the case of oil fractionating towers, ithe' expansion and contraction is considerable, "resulting the cracking of the insulation and waterproofing-if they are applied in continuous laye s L" Qneobject of the inventionis to provide -be- -tween'adjacent sections or tiers of insulation and waterproofinganexpansion joint whichwili not F2530 only prevent cracking of the msulation'and .wa-

f terproofing upon expansion andcontraction of "the vessel but also efiectively prevent the entra'nce'of moisture between such adjacent secionsor tiers. f 351515- Another object of the invention is stoiprovide arrexpansion joint ofzthe character referred to I xpansion joint which will prevent -.theloss' of heat from-the yesselbetween adjacent sections .or

tiers of insulation.

"nvention: will appear more fully in' the-followrig detailed description and appended claims.

The accompanying drawin'g itorming a part .of his sp e'cification illustrates two embodiments of :sthfiillVGIltiOll. 7 a $23 In the drawing, I '1' Fig. 1 isa fragmentary vertical sectional .view of the wall of the vertical-cylindrical vessel .emi bodyingmy invention. r

FigJ-2 is a fragmentary horizontal :sectional viewrespectively on the lines A, B and 0.

i Fig. 3 is-a fragmentary vertical sectional view si-milarto-Fig.-1 but showing a modification.

I Referring to the drawing, thevertical cylindri'cal walljrof thevessel has securedaround the a. as

' Ether ob jects', ieatures and advantagesof the 5 c a ms. raw-5) sheets 5 of heat insulation. The heat insulation 5, as "shown; is arranged in a plurality'of vertically spaced tiers, and it is to beunderstood that each of these tiers is supported at its lower edge in the manner described. i a As shown in Fig. 1, the insulation 5 is of the ilexibl sheet type comprising a body portionof suitable flexible insulating mamas such as rock wool, confined between suitable reinforcing material such as the expanded metal lath 6 and the wire mesh -7. The lath 6 and mesh '7, as shown, are'secured together at intervals by tie wires 8. :ns properly support the flexible insulation 5 the ring4 is formed with an'outer upwardly extending flange 9 confining the'lower edge por- -.;7 0 tion of the insulation. Means such as the circumferential cables lfl serve to hold the insulation firmly against the wall 1.

Finishing coats or layers 11 and 12 of suitable heat insulating materials, such as asbestos ce- {5 mentare'applied to the outerface of the insuanion A reinforcement .of suitable material, such as galvanized wire mesh 1.4, is preferably employed in connection with the .finishinglayers 1i and 12, this reinforcement as shown being .arranged between these layers. Upon the outer surface .of the finishing layer 12, I apply a layer 15 of waterproofing material, which may be" an asphalt composition mixed with asbestos fiber. 'L'he wire-mesh reinforcement 1.4 tendsztolprevent localized cracking in theiinishing and waterproofing-layers 11, 1-2 and 15. H V Asm'oist'uie tends to cause abrea'king down of insulation, it islimpo'rtant .to exclude it from the expansion space between .the tiers 5' .of .insul'a- ,go non; Io this end", I .provide theflashi'ng 1 6, which may be madeof any suitable material, such as copper. It is important that this flashing be at all timesin .seali'ngre'latibri to .both of the adjacent tiers of insulation regardless .of ..the motion of either or both of .saidtiers upon Je'x- .pansioniand contraction of the .vessel 1.. The Imovement of the insulation with respect .to' the yessel 1 includesnotonlyLthe movement of the upper portion'of each course of insulation inci- .100 dental to differences of expansion -.between the insulation and thevessel but also occasional ymovement of the lower portion of each course of 'finsulationupwardly out of engagement with supvport 4, due toprotuberances such as rivetheads which project from 'walll of the vessel-into the insulation and serve to carry the latter'ialong with the 'a jacentporuon ofthe container wall. :To

assure a moisture tight expansion Joint and seal 3 between adjacent portions or insulation, I h'ave, i

as shown, secured the flashing 16 to the portion of the insulation above the expansion space so that the flashing is carried with that portion of the insulation in case of any movement there-- of with respect to the wall 1 of the vessel, the lower portion of .theflashing. being in the form of a cylinder having telescopic sliding contact with the outer surface of the waterproofing layer 15 below the expansion space.

reinforcement 1 1.

band or ring 17. The outer finishing layer 12 and the waterproofing layer 15 are preferably applied so as to cover the upperportion of the flashing. I

The flashing 16 may, if desired, be tiedto the expanded metal reinforcement 6, as by wires 18 spaced horizontally about the vessel'l.

It will be seen that thereis a body-'of non .metallic heat insulating material between the metallic ring 4 and the surrounding oroverlying metallic flashing 16 andthat there is no metallic connection whereby the high temperature of the metallicxwall 1 may be freelyconveyed through the flashing16 to the waterproofing 15. Such waterproofing is commonly made of materials, such as asphalt, which deteriorate under high .heat; andjtheelimination ofhigh temperature .metalrcommunication between the shell of the vessel andthe flashing andadjacentwaterproofing accordingly notonly tends to avoid'heat'losses from the vessel butalso insures greater durability for the waterproofing. p Y

To prevent the free circulation of hightemperature air between the adjacent tiers of insulation, the space between these tiers packed with resilient material 19,'such as long asbestos of heat therethrough. As shown, this material is held in, place peripherally by horizontally spaced tie wires 20 arranged between the annular supporting member 4; and the reinforcement. 6 1 .on :the" opposite side of the expansion joint. These wires also tend to support the upper por- :tion of the said reinforcement; .-By' reason. of its resilient nature, the material -19 remains 5 wardlyfrom the wall 1. regardlessof movement packed in the expansion space fora distanceoutof the insulation 5.due to expansion and contraction of the vessel 1. The-packing-lQ accordingly prevents transmission of heat-from the wall of the vessel. to the flashing and adjacent watersulationemployed is of the blocktype." Where vessel insulated'and by covering the-layer 20. with v:more eifiicent for lower temperatures-,such. as magnesia: .Thehigh,temperatureinsulation --:may. be of any suitableitype .designed-,not -;to-; I170 deteriorate to, anobjeotionable extentunderl'iigh temperatures. Such'insulation, comprisingmixtures of scientifically determined portions of various materials, including asbestosand composi- -.tions of silicate, magnesium, calcium and alumi- -'-.1i.'-75;.-num, is'available in the market. ln this form:of

v The upper and. lower portions of the flashing are, as shown, connected by a conical intermediate portion 16a sur-' rounding the expansion space. The upper portion of the flashing is preferably secured against the- Any suitablesecuring means may be employed, such as the circumferential] in.-Fig. 1; and the flashing is tied by the wires 18 o'f my'. invention, itl-is understood that changes covering on the other. side of the joint. j

supporting each tier, and an .expansionjoint be- 7 side of the joint. fiber, to insulate said space against the passage i 7.. Averticalvessel having vertically spaced ciroutwardly projecting support, a section of insulaa tion forthe ve'sselhavingits edge .resting 'onsaid support, a; section ofinsulzition below said support, and a flashing'f of waterproof materiafsecured to onefsectionof the insulation and overlying both sections thereof.

my invention, the supporting member 4 may be in the form of a flat ring without a marginal flange, as the insulation is in rigid block form. The finishing and waterproofing layers 11, 12 and 15, as shown in this form of the invention, .are applied the sameas shown in Fig. 1.. Similarly, the flashing 16 is secured to the reinforcement 14 as by ring '17". This form of the invention does not require the metal lath reinforcement shown at 6 tothe reinforcement 14 instead. In this form of the-invention the resilient insulation 19 is, as

shown, confined by the reinforcement 14.

While I have showntwo preferred embodiments within the scope of the appended claims maybe made without departing from the spirit of-thc invention.

I claim:- 1. A vessel having a covering arranged in tiers,

means. for supporting each tier, an expansion joint between adjacent tiers including a metal sealing member secured to the covering onrone side of the joint and in sealing relation-to the 10 1 2. A vertical vessel having a covering arranged in horizontal tiers, means for supporting each tier, and an expansion joint between'adjacent tiers,

; saidlexpansion. joint including a metal sealing member secured to the covering on one side of the 108 joint and extending movably. over the covering on the other sideof the joint.

3. Avertical .vesselhaving a heat insulating covering arranged in horizontal tiers, means for 110 tween adjacent tiers, said expansion joint including a sealing member ofwaterproof material sccured .to theicovering on one side ofv the joint and extending .slidably over thecovering on the other 4. A vertical vessel having spaced supporting members.-:secured to thevessel and having horizontal faces, a ring resting upon said faces. heat insulation surrounding said vessel and resting upon said ring, and aflashing secured to said insulation and surrounding said supporting membersand ring. 1 I r 5. A vertical structure having vertically spaced supports, tiers of insulation carried by saldsupports-respectively, and a seal between adjacent m tiers of insulation comprising a metal flashing 1- securedto one tier of insulation and extending movably over the adjacent tierof insulation.

1' 6. Avertical vesseli-havingvertically spacedcir- 'cumferential supports-tiers of waterprooied in,. sulation carried by said supports respectively, and a seal betweenv adjacent tiers of insulation comprisinga flashing of waterproof material secured to one tier of insulation and extending movably over the adjacent tier of insulation.

.cumferential' supports,;tiers of waterproofed insulation carried by said supports respectively, the spacezbetween adjacent tiers of said insulation containing a packing of resilient material thereby insulating'said space, and a flashing secured to onetiler .of insulation and extending movably over theadjacenttier of insulation.- I

8. A vertical vessel having a circumferential 9. A vertical structure having a circumferential outwardly projecting support, a section of insulation for thevstructure having its edge resting on said support, a section of insulation below said support, and a. metal flashing of waterproof mapansion joint in said covering between adjacent sections including a metal sealing member secured to the covering on one side of the joint and in movable sealing relation to the covering on the other side of the joint.

11. A structure formed of heat conducting material having a covering of heat insulation arranged in sections, means for securing the said covering to the body of the structure, and an expansion joint in said covering between adjacent sections including a sealing member of waterproof material secured to the covering on one side of the joint and in movable sealing relation to the covering on the other side of the joint.

12. A vessel formed of heat conducting material,-.a covering of heat insulation arranged in sections around said vessel, means for securing the heat insulation to the vessel, and an expansion joint in said covering including a metal flashing between adjacent sections of the heat insulation, and secured to one of them, said flashing being insulated against heat from the vessel.

13. A vertical vessel having a circumferential outwardly projecting support, a body of waterproofed heat insulation for the vessel having its edge resting on said support, a body of waterproofed heat insulation below said support and a flashing of waterproof material secured to the heat insulation on one side of said support but free to move relatively to the heat insulation on the other side of the support.

14. A vessel formed of heat conducting material, a covering therefor comprising spaced tiers of heat insulation, means for securing the covering to the vessel, a resilient packing between adjacent tiers of insulation forming a heat insulation therein, and a flashing of waterproof material secured to one tier of heat insulation and closing the space between adjacent tiers thereof but permitting relative movement of said adjacent tiers.

15. A vertical vessel having an outwardly extending support provided with an upwardly extending flange, a body of heat insulation resting on said support and surrounding and confined at its lower edge by said flange, a body of heat insulation below said support in spaced relation to said first-named body of heat insulation, and a flashing of waterproof material secured to the heat insulation on one side of said support and in movable sealing relation to the heat insulation on the other side of said support.

EUGENE F. ZEINER. 

